St. Augustine in St. Johns County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

The Old St. Johns County Jail

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, December 10, 2014

1. The Old St. Johns County Jail Marker

Inscription.
Built in 1891, the St. Johns County Jail held prisoners until 1953. The previous county jail was located next to the Hotel Ponce de Leon in downtown St. Augustine, Florida. Henry Morrison Flagler (1830-1913), co-founder of the Standard Oil Company, founder of the Florida East Coast Railroad and major real estate developer, donated $10,000 towards construction of this new jail. It is the oldest surviving government building in St. Johns County. The architecture is Romanesque Revival with elements of Queen Anne Victorian. It was constructed by the Pauly Jail Building and Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, which would later build Alcatraz prison in California along with several other jails throughout North America. Up to 72 inmates could be housed in the building along with living quarters for the sheriff and his family. The conditions were primitive for most of its history with up to four inmates in a cell, no indoor plumbing until 1914 and open barred windows. When the last inmates were transferred out in 1953, the old jail building became a tourist attraction recreating what life was like for prisoners at the turn

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

of the century.

Erected 2004 by Florida Heritage Site sponsored by the Old Jail, Inc. and the Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-521.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1891.

Location. 29° 54.479′ N, 81° 19.125′ W. Marker is in St. Augustine, Florida, in St. Johns County. It can be reached from San Marco Avenue (Business U.S. 1) 0.1 miles south of May Street (State Road A1A), on the left when traveling south. Marker located at the northeast corner of the Old Jail building on the grounds of the Old Jail Museum complex. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 167 San Marco Avenue, Saint Augustine FL 32084, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in First Coast

and in Greater Jacksonville.

It is also in the American South

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory

The Old St. Johns County Jail Marker (<i>tall view</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, December 10, 2014

2. The Old St. Johns County Jail Marker (tall view)

of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Old Jail (here, next to this marker); Sheriff’s Police Car (a few steps from this marker); The 1910 Mary Peck House (within shouting distance of this marker); Spreading the Wealth Since 1900 (within shouting distance of this marker); The 1870 Hildreth House (within shouting distance of this marker); Walk to Freedom (within shouting distance of this marker); Arriving in Style (within shouting distance of this marker); Viva Cuba! (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Augustine.

Also see . . .
1. Old St. Johns County Jail.
Built by Henry Flagler in 1891 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, the Old Jail served as the St Johns County Jail until 1953. Maximum Security housed the most dangerous prisoners held at the Jail and includes a Death Row cell, for those condemned to die. A total of 8 men were hung from the Gallows on the Jail compound during

The Old St. Johns County Jail (<i>north end view</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, December 10, 2014

3. The Old St. Johns County Jail (north end view)

Historical marker is visible in lower left corner.

its history. Overall conditions at the Jail for those serving varying sentences were quite poor by modern standards and prisoners were typically used as free farm labourers during the day. (Submitted on December 10, 2014, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. The Old Jail, St. Augustine, Florida.
The jail has a restored gallows and a "birdcage" cell that makes a nice photo-op. Inside, the highlight of the tour is an animatronic sheriff Joe Perry, who gives a short speech from atop the maximum security cell block, holding a hangman's rope. (Submitted on December 10, 2014, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

The Old St. Johns County Jail (<i>front center view</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, December 10, 2014

4. The Old St. Johns County Jail (front center view)

The Old St. Johns County Jail (<i>south end view</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, December 10, 2014

5. The Old St. Johns County Jail (south end view)

Statue of Sheriff Joe Perry (sitting on the bench) can be seen in the foreground.

Sheriff Joe Perry Statue image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, December 10, 2014

6. Sheriff Joe Perry Statue

Credits. This page was last revised on December 29, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 10, 2014, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 2,302 times since then and 65 times this year. Last updated on December 11, 2014, by Jamie Cox of Melbourne, Florida. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 10, 2014, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.